Lambert calls for elimination of duplication in campaign finance reporting

August 13, 2009

Summary

Amendment to King County Charter could create efficiencies that save money

Story

Campaign finance reporting is being duplicated at both the county and state levels, according to King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert, who said doing away with the redundant county paperwork would improve efficiency and save money.

Lambert today introduced legislation to put an amendment to the King County Charter before voters that would eliminate that redundancy. Her proposal would drop a requirement for candidates to submit to the county Elections Office copies of contribution and expenditure reports that they already submit to the state Public Disclosure Commission. Her amendment would allow the state financial filing to fulfill the county requirement as well, as the information is easily accessible online.

“This is an efficiency measure to eliminate duplication at the county level of functions that already are being performed by the state,” said Councilmember Lambert. “Doing away with this redundant requirement will reduce costs of having to manage this data at the county level. Especially with the current economic recession and budget shortfall, every dollar we can save through efficiency means fewer cuts to more valuable services.”

King County’s reporting requirements for campaign finances were instituted when the Charter was approved by voters in 1968. That predates the implementation of the state’s campaign finance reporting laws by several years.

“For years, King County elections officials have been duplicating the campaign reporting role that was taken on by the state in the early 1970s,” said Lambert, who has served as an elected official for nearly 15 years, including seven in the state Legislature. “With the benefits provided by the Internet, electronic records now are universally accessible, and it is more valuable and a better use of resources to have records available electronically than in duplicate hard-copy format.”

The Council will now consider whether to place the proposed charter amendment on the ballot, for consideration by the voters. The Charter is King County’s constitution.